British buyer revives Bloodhound supersonic project

The Bloodhound SSC team on Monday announced that their project to break the world's land speed record will go on after British entrepreneur Ian Warhurst bought it. The team described it as "the best possible Christmas present." 

The project centers around a supersonic car designed to reach a top speed over 1,000 miles per hour (1,600 kilometers per hour), well over the speed of sound.

In October, the Bloodhound team announced that it was insolvent and needed GBP 25 million (€28 million, $32 million) to continue its groundbreaking vision.

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'Unique British project'

Former Williams team manager and Formula One journalist Peter Windsor said he was "delighted" by the news that the project would live to see another day.

"I have been overwhelmed by the level of interest and messages of goodwill following the news that I have bought Bloodhound," Warhurst, who owns and manages turbocharger supplier Melett, said in a statement. "It's clear how much this unique British project means to people all around the world."

The previous land speed record was set in 1997. The ThrustSSC became the first land vehicle to break the sound barrier, with a top speed of 763 mph (1,228 km/h).

According to the project, the Bloodhound "will be powered by both a jet engine and a rocket" to produce more than 135,000 horsepower. "That's more than six times the power of all the Formula 1 cars on a starting grid put together," the project says.

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